Overview
- The pickup, which crashed around 11 a.m. Friday near the Henley Street exit, released an estimated one million bees onto Interstate 40.
- TDOT closed the ramp and urged drivers to stay inside their vehicles as bees swarmed the area around the wreck.
- Beekeepers in protective suits, including the driver, corralled the insects, and all lanes reopened before about 1:30 p.m.
- Officials reported no injuries, and crews removed the destroyed truck after the swarm was cleared.
- Authorities have not determined the cause, and TDOT said the bee count came from the driver’s report, a reminder that large pollination shipments can briefly snarl traffic when hives spill.